Who has the authority to grant waiver of physical examination standards?

• A. CIM 6000.1
• B. The PDES process
• C. Commander PSC-EPM, OPM, and RPM
• D. The Ready Reserve

Answer: (C)

The authority to grant waivers to physical examination standards rests with the centralized personnel management offices that handle Coast Guard medical fitness across all components. Specifically, the Commander of PSC-EPM, along with the OPM and RPM, are the designated waiver authorities. They review medical documentation, assess risk in relation to the requested assignment or duty, and decide whether an exception can be made for a particular individual. This centralized authority ensures consistency and proper oversight across active duty, Reserve, and officer/enlisted tracks. The PDES process is a workflow used to route and document the waiver decision, not the source of the authority itself, and the Ready Reserve does not hold separate waiver authority.